Those of us with responsibility for the health of canine athletes need to continually read and evaluate new scientific studies to ensure that we are taking the most appropriate care of our performance dogs. This article provides evidence through a number of recent studies to suggest that veterinarians and owners with canine athletes should revisit the standard protocol in which all dogs that are not intended for breeding are spayed and neutered at or before 6 months of age.
Orthopedic Considerations:
A study by Salmeri et al in 1991 found that bitches spayed at 7 weeks grew significantly taller than those spayed at 7 months, and that those spayed at 7 months had significantly delayed closure of the growth plates than those not spayed (or presumably spayed after the growth plates had closed).
(1) A study of 1444 Golden Retrievers performed in 1998 and 1999 also found bitches and dogs spayed and neutered at less than a year of age were significantly taller than those spayed or neutered at more than a year of age.
(2) The sex hormones promote the closure of the growth plates, so the bones of dogs or bitches neutered or spayed before puberty continue to grow. Dogs that have been spayed or neutered well before puberty can frequently be identified by their longer limbs, lighter bone structure, narrow chests and narrow skulls. This abnormal growth frequently results in significant alterations in body proportions and particularly the lengths (and therefore weights) of certain bones relative to others. For example, if the femur has achieved its genetically determined normal length at 8 months when a dog gets spayed or neutered, but the tibia, which normally stops growing at 12 to 14 months of age continues to grow, then an abnormal angle may develop at the stifle. In addition, with the extra growth, the lower leg below the stifle becomes heavier (because it is longer), causing increased stresses on the cranial cruciate ligament. These structural alterations may be the reason why at least one recent study has shown that spayed and neutered dogs have a higher incidence of CCL rupture.
(3) Another recent study showed that dogs spayed or neutered before 5 1/2 months had a significantly higher incidence of hip dysplasia than those spayed or neutered after 5 1/2 months of age.
(4) Breeders of purebred dogs should be concerned about these two studies and particularly the latter, because they might make incorrect breeding decisions if they consider the hip status of pups they bred that were spayed or neutered early.
Cancer Considerations:
There is a slightly increased risk of mammary cancer if a female dog has one heat cycle. But my experience indicates that fewer canine athletes develop mammary cancer as compared to those that damage their cranial cruciate ligaments. In addition, only about 30 % of mammary cancers are malignant and, as in humans, when caught and surgically removed early the prognosis is very good.
(5) Since canine athletes are handled frequently and generally receive prompt veterinary care, mammary cancer is not quite the specter it has been in the past. A retrospective study of cardiac tumors in dogs showed that there was a 5 times greater risk of hemangiosarcoma, one of the three most common cancers in dogs, in spayed bitches than intact bitches and a 2.4 times greater risk of hemangiosarcoma in neutered dogs as compared to intact males.
(6) A study of 3218 dogs demonstrated that dogs that were neutered before a year of age had a significantly increased chance of developing bone cancer, a cancer that is much more life-threatening than mammary cancer, and that affects both genders.
(7) A separate study showed that neutered dogs had a two-fold higher risk of developing bone cancer.
(
Despite the common belief that neutering dogs helps prevent prostate cancer, at least one study suggests that neutering provides no benefit.
Behavioral Considerations:
(9)The study that identified a higher incidence of cranial cruciate ligament rupture in spayed or neutered dogs also identified an increased incidence of sexual behaviors in males and females that were neutered early.
(3) Further, the study that identified a higher incidence of hip dysplasia in dogs neutered or spayed before 5 1/2 months also showed that early age gonadectomy was associated with an increased incidence of noise phobias and undesirable sexual behaviors.
(4) A recent report of the American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation reported significantly more behavioral problems in spayed and neutered bitches and dogs. The most commonly observed behavioral problem in spayed females was fearful behavior and the most common problem in males was aggression.
(10) Yet another study showed that unneutered males were significantly less likely than neutered males to suffer cognitive impairment when they were older.
(11) Females were not evaluated in that study.
Other Health Considerations:
A number of studies have shown that there is an increase in the incidence of female urinary incontinence in dogs spayed early.
(12) Interestingly, neutering also has been associated with an increased likelihood of urethral sphincter incontinence in males.
(13) This problem is an inconvenience, and not usually life-threatening, but nonetheless one that requires the dog to be medicated for life. A health survey of several thousand Golden Retrievers showed that spayed or neutered dogs were more likely to develop hypothyroidism.
(2) This study is consistent with the results of another study in which neutering and spaying was determined to be the most significant gender-associated risk factor for development of hypothyroidism.
(14) Infectious diseases were more common in dogs that were spayed or neutered at 24 weeks or less as opposed to those undergoing gonadectomy at more than 24 weeks.
(15) Finally, the AKC-CHF report demonstrated a higher incidence of adverse reactions to vaccines in neutered dogs as compared to intact.
For these reasons, I have significant concerns with spaying or neutering dogs before puberty, particularly for the canine athlete. And frankly, if something were healthier for the canine athlete, would we not also want that for pet dogs as well?
But of course, there is the pet overpopulation problem. How can we prevent the production of unwanted dogs while still leaving the gonads to produce the hormones that are so important to canine growth and development?
The answer is to perform vasectomies in males and tubal ligation in females, to be followed after maturity by ovariohysterectomy in females to prevent mammary cancer and pyometra.
One possible disadvantage is that vasectomy does not prevent some unwanted behaviors associated with males such as marking and humping. On the other hand, it has been my experience that females and neutered males actively participate in these behaviors too.
Really, training is the best solution for these issues. Another possible disadvantage is finding a veterinarian who is experienced in performing these procedures. Nonetheless, some do, and if the procedures were in greater demand, more veterinarians would learn them.
I believe it is important that we assess each situation individually. If a pet dog is going to live with an intelligent, well-informed family that understands the problem of pet overpopulation and can be trusted to keep the dog under their control at all times and to not breed it, I do not recommend spaying or neutering before 14 months of age.
In the case of dogs that might be going to less vigilant families, vasectomy and tubal ligation will allow proper growth while preventing unwanted pregnancies.
Did you know that dogs love to socialize? Taking your dog to different places can be such a great adventure. When interacting with other dogs or people, your dog will develop the social skills needed to be a better pet. These
trips can stimulate them both mentally and physically.
Of course it is best if your dog has had some sort of basic training. It is important for you to have control of your dog in these situations. Once your dog has had basic obedience training you can more easily allow them to socialize with other dogs. You will have total control over them, thus
avoiding any unpleasant mishaps. As you take your dog to more places, you will start to see an even better behaved dog. More socializing leads to a more manageable dog.
Another benefit to socializing your dog is less boredom. With the proper amount of interaction with other dogs and people, your dog should be more content at home and less likely to attempt escaping or running around unnecessarily.
Giving your dog a variety of experiences with different situations is an important part of being a responsible owner. Also, by being together in a variety of places and social interactions your bond deepens. So take your dog
to as many places as possible. Allow your dog to develop into a confident individual and your relationship will blossom....
First let me say I did not write this but felt that it was very important and should be placed here.
Let's think about this for a minute. So you want to breed your female. You know what to expect if everything goes right. Your little girl will present you with little bundles of joy. She will lovingly nurse them and care for them until they are old enough to be weaned.
You and your family will find great joy in watching and playing with these little dolls, and then when the time is right they will all (or maybe you keep just one) go off to special homes to live out their lives as cherished companions. But have you given consideration to what if something goes wrong? I have listed here a few of the problems that I myself have personal knowledge of. Everything listed has happened either to me or someone I know.
These are not isolated incidents. I'm sure others could add miles to my list. Learn by the mistakes of others. Leave the breeding to those who REALLY know what they are doing, have the experience and know what to expect.
What if during the breeding.... ........
1) The stud dog you have chosen is carrying a venereal disease and gives it to your female. She not only doesn't conceive but you have to pay the vet bills to get her infection cleared up and she is now sterile. .
2) The stud dog you decided to breed your darling to is not experienced. Once the two dogs are joined tightly in a tie, he decides to chase the neighbors cat out of his yard. He bolts for the cat ripping his penis loose and causing your bitch to hemorrhage from within. .
3) Your modest girl decides she doesn't want the attentions of this gigolo mutt chosen for her without her consent. She snaps at him catching her tooth on his loose cheek and rips it open sending blood flying everywhere. He retaliates by sinking his teeth into her left eye. .
4) You leave your dog with the owner of the male dog because the breeding is not going very swiftly. In fact, it's been three hours and nothing is happening. The stud owner leaves the two dogs alone in the backyard. The dogs get out through a tiny hole in the fence and a truck hits your female. .
5) You pay the stud fee up front figuring you will make that and more back when the pups sell. The owner of the male guarantees the stud service to work or you can come back again. Well into the gestation time you discover your bitch isn't pregnant and you now must wait another 4 months for her to come back in heat in order to try again. Of course it doesn't work again, so in another 4 months you take your dog to another male and risk loosing another stud fee. .
6) You get her bred. Bring her home. She bothers you so you let her out (she is still in heat and still receptive to males). You here a commotion outside there is your girl tied up with the neighborhood mutt. When she whelps there will need to be DNA tests done on the pups. .
7) You get her bred. Bring her home. Let her out. (She is still in heat and receptive to other males) but you do not see the neighborhood mutt breed her. The pups are born but look very odd. You call the stud owner he suggests DNA testing (at your expense). You have a litter of mutts!. What do you do about the ones you have already sold?. .
Or, knowing she tied with the neighborhood mutt you decide to terminate the pregnancy and try again being more careful next time. But a few weeks later your female is very sick because you had her given a miss-mate shot which has caused a hormonal imbalance which in turn caused a uterine infection and now she has Pyometra and needs a complete hysterectomy. All plans of getting a litter is gone and your females' life is now in danger if she does not have the operation. .
What if during the birth....... ....... .
1) The puppies are too large for the female. She never goes into labor, the puppies die and she becomes infected by the decaying bodies. .
2) The puppies are coming breech and they drown in their own sacks before they can be born. .
3) The first puppy is large and breech. When it starts coming your female starts screaming, and before you can stop her she reaches around, grabs the puppy in her teeth and yanks it out killing it instantly. .
4) A puppy gets stuck. Neither your female nor you can get it out. You have to race her to the vet. The vet can't get it out either. She has to have an emergency caesarian section of course it is 3:00 am Christmas Day. .
5) A puppy is coming out breech and dry (the water sack that protects them has burst). It gets stuck. Mom tries to help it out by clamping her teeth over one of the back legs. The head and shoulders are firmly caught. Mom pulls on the leg, hard, peeling the flesh from the leg and leaving a wiggling stump of bone. .
6) A dead puppy gets stuck in the birth canal, but your female is well into hard labor. She contracts so hard trying to give birth that her uterus ruptures and she bleeds to death on the way to the vet. .
What if directly after birth....... ... .
1) The mother has no idea what to do with a puppy and she drops them out and walks away, leaving them in the sack to drown. .
2) The mother takes one look at the puppies, decides they are disgusting droppings and tries to smother them in anything she can find to bury them . .
3) The mother gets too enthusiastic in her removal of the placenta and umbilical cord, and rips the cord out leaving a gushing hole pulsing blood all over you as you try in vain to stop the bleeding. .
4) Or, she pulls on the cords so hard she disembowels the puppies as they are born and you have a box full of tiny, kicking babies with a tangle of guts the size of a walnut hanging from their stomachs. Of course all the babies must be put to sleep. .
5) What if because of some Hormone deficiency she turns vicious allowing no-one near her or the babies, who she refuses to nurse, or you have to interfere with. .
6) You notice something protruding from her vagina when you let her out to pee. You take her to the vet to discover a prolapsed uterus, which needs to be removed. .
What if when you think you are in the clear....... ......... .. .
1) One or more of the puppies inhaled fluid during birth, pneumonia develops and death occurs within 36 hours. .
2) what if the mothers milk goes bad. You lose three of your four puppies before you discover what is wrong. You end up bottle feeding the remaining pup every two hours, day and night. After three days the puppy fades from infection and dies. .
3) The puppies develop fading puppy syndrome you lose two. You bottle-feed or tube feed the last remaining baby. It begins to choke and despite your efforts to clear the airway, the pup stiffens and dies in your hands. .
4) Your female develops mastitis and her breast ruptures. .
5) Your female develops a uterine infection from a retained placenta. Her temperature soars to 105. You race her to the vet, he determines she must be spayed. He does the spay in an attempt to save her life, you pay the hundreds of dollars bill. The infection has gone into her blood stream. The infected milk kills all the puppies and the bitch dies a day later. .
6) All the puppies are fine but following the birth the female develops a hormone imbalance. She becomes a fear biter and anytime anyone tries to touch her she viciously attacks them. .
7) Mom and pups seem fine, the puppies are four weeks old and are at their cutest. However, one day one of the puppies disappears. You search everywhere but you can't find it. A few days later another puppy is gone. And another. You can't figure how on earth the puppies are getting out of their safe 4' x 4' puppy pen. Finally there is only one puppy left. The next morning you find the mother chomping contentedly on what is left of the last puppy she herself killed. .
What if the new homes are not so happy?...... ......... ........ .
1) You give a puppy to a friend. Their fence blows down so they tie the puppy outside while they go to work. A roving dog comes along and kills the puppy. Your friend calls you up to tell you about the poor little puppy and asks when you are having more puppies. .
2) You sell a puppy to an acquaintance. The next time you see them you ask how the puppy is doing. They tell you that it soiled their new carpet so they took it to the pound .
3) You sell a puppy to a friend (you give them a good price and payments). They make a couple of tiny payments. Six months later they move to an apartment. They ask you to take it back. You take it back and of course even the tiny payments stop. The dog they returned is so shy, and ill mannered from lack of socialization and training it takes you a year of work providing socializing and training to be able to give it away. .
4) You sell a puppy to a wonderful home. They love her like one of the family. At a vet check done by their vet it is determined that the puppy has a heart murmur. (Your vet found nothing when he checked the puppy before it was sold.) They love their puppy and want the best for her. They have an expensive surgery done. The puppy is fine. They sue you for the medical costs. They win, because you did not have a contract stipulating conditions of guarantee and so as breeder you are responsible for the puppy's genetic health. .
5) You give a puppy to your mother. she is thrilled. Two years later the puppy starts developing problems. It begins to develop odd symptoms and is suffering. Hundreds and hundreds of dollars worth of tests later it is finally discovered that the dog is suffering from a terminal condition that was inherited, possibly from your female since you know nothing about her family lines. .
6) One loving home decides your puppy is un-trainable, destructive and wants to return the pup and get a full refund, which you have spent on your vet bills. .
7) One loving couple calls you and is very upset because their pup has crippling hip dysplasia and want to know what you are going to do about it. You have spayed your female so a replacement is out of the question, lookslike another big refund. .
The Sale:....... ......... ... .
1) You put your ad in the local paper for your pups at the usual price and get only 2 responses and no sales. You cut the pup's price in half and broaden your advertising to 3 other newspapers in which the advertising totals $120.00 a week. .
2) You get a few more puppy inquiries from people who ask all about health testing you did before breeding and if the pups are registered with AKC. You tell them your dogs are healthy and it was enough and that you could get the papers. The callers politely thank you and hang up. .
3) The pups are now 4 months old and getting bigger, eating a lot and their barking is really beginning to annoy the neighbors who call the police who inform you of the $150.00 noise by-law. .
4) Your neighbors also call the humane society who comes out to inspect the care of your dogs. You pass inspection but end up feeling stressed and harassed. .
5) You finally decide to give the rest of the litter away but still have to pay the $1200.00 advertising bill and the $600.00 vet bill. .
So you gotta ask yourself: Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya, "breeder?
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Once your German Shepherd puppy is home with you and your family in from the breeder, you will want to start a schedule for grooming and cleaning your puppy. This is not only important for the appearance of your new German Shepherd puppy but also for its health and well being. It's not something that we often think about but puppies can not only produce an odor when not cleansed or groomed often but also may developed matted areas of fur and skin allergies as well.
Properly grooming your German Shepherd puppy will make you and your puppy feel very happy. The fur is the main area that will need to be groomed. This involves trimming of the fur, brushing and or combing of the fur. With long haired puppies you may want to comb through on a daily basis, trimming at areas that may be matted or may have a tendency to become matted. With curly and woolly dog breeds you will have to brush them every day to avoid any knots which tend to come about more frequently. The short-haired dogs with close tight hair or fur will only need a combing or brushing every two or three weeks. This is solely up you as the new owner but our recommendations should be kept in mind.
You will also need to do regular checking of your puppy's paws. This will include trimming of the nails as well. You will need to check for any kind of dirt or debris that can become lodged in between the toes. This is especially important if your dog spends a great deal of time outdoors in. The nails will need to be trimmed every few weeks. This will help your German Shepherd puppy with movement as well as prevent any ingrown nails that can grow inward into the paw pads. This can be extremely painful for the pup and will cost quite a bit at the vets office to have removed and then closed up. To avoid this problem you must do a check every two weeks. Trimming of the nails will also save your furniture as well. If you have hardwood floors you will want to make sure your German Shepherd puppy's nails are trimmed to avoid any damage. If your German Shepherd puppy's nails are making clicking noises on your floors, then your pup may need a trimming.
Ear care is very important for your little German Shepherd puppy. As a rule, the ears should always be a pale pink color and should not carry a fowl odor. If you notice anything odd you should take your German Shepherd puppy over to your vet to get checked. Cleaning your German Shepherd puppy's ears is a fairly easy task. You will want to wet a cotton swab or pad with a little bit of warm water and gently clean the inner areas of the ear. You only want to go as far as you can see and never go deep into the ear canal. Cleaning of the ears should be done just about as regularly as you would groom the outside of your German Shepherd puppy.
Dental care for your German Shepherd puppy is important as well. Cleaning of your dog's teeth should start at a very early age. As soon as the teeth start showing dental care should begin. Poor dental care is one of the main causes of early health problems in dogs. Decay of the mouth and teeth can lead to serious kidney and liver disease. This can lead to an early death. You should brush your German Shepherd's teeth as often as possible and take your pup into your vet once a year for a thorough cleaning.
Checking and cleaning your German Shepherd's eyes should be done at least every couple of days. You will want to see clean and clear eyes. Any sign of drainage or cloudiness is not preferred. To clean the eye area you will want to take a moist cotton swab and gently wipe the outer areas to remove any discharge. To remove any discoloration of the fur around the eyes, there are a few products that can remove these stains and prevent new ones. One product that has been highly praised for this common problem is Angels' Eyes. This product safely removes tear stains without any harmful chemicals and is completely wheat free.
Bathing your German Shepherd dog is another way to get rid of most of the smelly odors that most dogs carry. At first sniff, if your dog has a smelly odor then you will certainly want to bathe your German Shepherd puppy. Most dogs will need to be bathed once every two weeks. The exception will be the curly or woolly breeds, they only require a bathing every two months or so. Always remember to use the special dog shampoos; never use human shampoo. The special formula for dogs is designed to remove dirt and odor but still leave behind the essential oils under the fur that your German Shepherd needs.
Can you not see? The Republicans are doing it again. Just like the recount in 2000 when Republicans interrupted the count by banging on the doors and stomping and yelling in the halls. Now it's the Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Plan the Republicans are trying stop why? They never stopped any of George Bushes spending programs. What would work better? Their answer as always tax cuts, tax cuts tax cuts Republicans are a one trick pony.
George Bush promised that tax cuts would create jobs in 2000 so here we are eight years later with eleven million Americans out of work. MIT Grads standing on the corners in NYC handing out Resumes. So if the highly educated can't find work what do you think your high school education or a couple of years of college is going to due for you?
Let's look at the problems. This economy like and onion has many layers: first jobs, then lack of credit and the housing losses. The banks will not lend money because so many people are losing their jobs, they won't lend to small businesses because they are losing business or are afraid that they will be going out of business. Banks are over burden with foreclosed property they can't sell and they cost the banks money sitting empty.
We sent President Obama to the White to change this country and to make things better for us. We need to tell the Republicans to get the heck out of the way if they don't have any new ideas to help the country. All of a sudden they are the watch dogs of tax payers dollars. Who was it that got us into this mess in the first place. They try to place blame on the housing industry but they forget the Republicans allowed the regulations to be relaxed resulting in risker loans. Thus creating the current foreclosures all over the USA.
If you don't think this is a us vs them you need to think harder. Why do they always want to cut education for our children, most of their children go to private schools. Is it not the job of the Government to educate our children, to turn out the next generation of leaders? President Obama came from the public school system he has given hope to so many who have for so long thought they didn't had a chance.
We need the Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Plan to get people back to work. If your working you are buying food, paying taxes, paying mortgage, dry cleaning, credit card bills, car payment etc... the economy is moving.
We also need to make the banks aware that if we bail them out they must lend us our money. It is not for them to make themselves bigger and stronger but to help us the people.
As far as housing mortgage melt down is concern I think going forward we should do the following if you have a ARM the banks could rewrite they mortgage for the same amount without the adjustment, go fixed, give folks ten more years to pay them off keeping the payment they can afford. No loss to the banks, city, state or home owner, and It doesn't cost any money.
We voted for change not for the Republicans to try and tell us what will or will not work who do they think they are? What they keep putting forth (tax cuts)didn't work and they keep pushing they same thing. Help or get out of the way!! America needs new leadership and we put President Obama in office.
President Obama believes that if we do not act quickly, this recession could linger for years – and America could lose the competitive edge that has served as the foundation for our strength and standing in the world.
That's why the President has put forth an American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan that will jumpstart job creation and long-term growth by:
* Doubling the production of alternative energy in the next three years.
* Modernizing more than 75% of federal buildings and improve the energy efficiency of two million American homes, saving consumers and taxpayers billions on our energy bills.
* Making the immediate investments necessary to ensure that within five years, all of America’s medical records are computerized.
* Equipping tens of thousands of schools, community colleges, and public universities with 21st century classrooms, labs, and libraries.
* Expanding broadband across America, so that a small business in a rural town can connect and compete with their counterparts anywhere in the world.
* Investing in the science, research, and technology that will lead to new medical breakthroughs, new discoveries, and entire new industries.
We Won! The American people! The constitution says "We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, ensure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."
The Constitution of the United States of America is the supreme law of the United States. Empowered with the sovereign authority of the people by the framers and the consent of the legislatures of the states, it is the source of all government powers, and also provides important limitations on the government that protect the fundamental rights of United States citizens.
So come on people write your Congressman and Senator. Let them know you are hurting. See he or she has a job you don't. They own two or three houses you don't you get the picture. We don't have the luxury to sit back and debate we need action. We the people back our President and for all you who don't we will see about you losing your job come the next election.
One may find many purebred German Shepherds at a German Shepherd breeder’s kennel and this means that the sire and dam are members of a recognized breed and the ancestry of the dog is the same over many generations. Even if a pure bred German Shepherd is not one’s cup of tea or it is priced beyond one’s budget, one should be able to find a good German Shepherd that is handsome, well proportioned as well as strong and a starting point in the quest for this breed may mean visiting a German Shepherd breeder’s kennel.
Such is the variety of German Shepherds available at a breeders kennel that one may also locate the White German Shepherd at a German Shepherd breeder’s kennel. The German Shepherd breeders kennel should be having a huge gallery of adorable puppies that may be very young in age or be in their teens or even be adults. What is essential is that the German Shepherd breeders should breed sound dogs and the dogs and puppies that they offer should comply with this sounds in temperament as well as conformation.
The dogs that one finds at the breeder’s would be quick to adapt to the family, obedience as well as be agile and good for protecting the owner. Breeders often specialize in certain categories of the German Shepherd and one would need to locate one that specializes in the category that interests one. One should expect quality, character, nobleness, versatility, intelligence as well as loyalty, correct structure and soundness in the dogs found at a breeder’s kennel. The males ought to be strong as well as masculine and stallion-looking and the females ought to look cute as well as feminine.
The better German Shepherd dogs should show their nobility as well as quality, easily. A key requirement of a German Shepherd is that it appears noble, for without such nobleness, it would appear common. Another sign of a good German Shepherd is that it be at least 20 per cent bigger than the female. The German Shepherd dog that one would expect to find at a German Shepherd breeders, should possess good character and have a sound temperament and it should also be approachable and stand its ground quietly. A German Shepherd that shirks from its owner or shows signs of being a fear-biter is not a dog one should normally find at the German Shepherd breeders kennel.
The German Shepherd bought from a German Shepherd breeder’s kennel should have a good size as well as heavy bones and a nice correct head with dark eyes and also a nice top line plus a nice rear. The German Shepherd is a trotting dog; so its structure should be developed at the breeder’s to meet these requirements. One should not have much difficulty finding a quality German Shepherd Breeder as this breed is very popular and much sought after and, there are many breeders that raise the German Shepherd assiduously. Like Lane's House Of Shepherds
Anyone interested in owning a German Shepherd should make an effort in finding a quality German Shepherd breeder and this should not pose much of a problem if one knows what one is looking for and understanding the characteristics that a fine German Shepherd dog should have. The better breeders would have ample knowledge as well breed dogs from the best sires and dams. Finding a quality German Shepherd breeder means checking to see whether they have suitable facilities for breeding German Shepherds as well as facilities for training and taking care of the hygiene of the dogs.
The dogs should enjoy good health and get proper veterinary care and the dogs should be well structured and beautiful in appearance. Finding a quality German Shepherd breeder requires little effort but plenty of cash as the dogs can cost a lot and good German Shepherd breeding is dependent on the breeder owning a female of good lineage. It is not so much the fame of the parent dogs that counts for a well bred German Shepherd dog as is the lineage of the parent dogs. Finding a quality German Shepherd breeder means looking for those breeders that have a mother with excellent structure, health as well as character so that the siblings would show similar characteristics.
A German Shepherd breeder that has a pack of parent dogs having a sound family tree would be preferable to those breeders that have a list of famous names. So, finding a quality German Shepherd breeder means going to the breeder and checking out these characteristics rather than being influenced by the impressive fame of the sires and dams, since an offspring of them that is a reject would not be ideal as compared with one that is well structured and has all the characteristics of the parent dogs.
One should also be aware that many breeders sell off their kennel surplus and if one is not aware of bloodlines, structures as well as temperaments of German Shepherds, finding a quality German Shepherd breeder would be that much more difficult. One should also know that genes combine to give the best as well as the worst bred dogs and so one should, when finding a quality German Shepherd breeder, look for a breeder that has parent dogs that are dominant for quality. One needs to exercise care that one does not believe all that is claimed by the breeders and not be taken in by glitter names in the breeder’s catalogs. It is necessary to evaluate individually each breeding dog and look for a balance between quality and price.
As there are so many breeders, finding a quality German Shepherd breeder requires either searching the internet or checking out advertisements, both of which does not require much effort though selecting the dogs is more difficult and requires some specialized knowledge. With knowledge about how quality German Shepherds are bred it then becomes important to use this knowledge to find out how to find Old Fashion Large German Shepherds to get one’s hands on a quality Old Fashion Large German Shepherd.
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In the United States, the White German Shepherd appears throughout the history of the breed. Ann Tracy, owner of one of the first two German Shepherd champions on record in America, imported some of the finest German show stock to the USA, and white puppies showed up immediately in her litters. In 1917, the first White German Shepherds were registered with the American Kennel Club. In the 1920's H. N. Hanchett of Minnesota imported German-bred White German Shepherds. Some of the finest early German lines such as v. Oeringen, The Strong heart, Rin-Tin-Tin and Long Worth bloodlines frequently produced white dogs. It was not until the 1930s that white dogs were discriminated against, after the death of Max Von Stephanitz (architect of the modern Shepherd), and increased with the rise of Hitler. During the 1960s as the White Shepherd grew ever more popular, friction developed between the breeders of the White German Shepherd and the breeders of the current standard colored German Shepherd. Genetic problems appearing in the breed were increasingly blamed on the White German Shepherd, and Germany began a campaign to outlaw the white color. Puppies born with the snow white coat were drowned, and records of their births destroyed. White Shepherds were held responsible for "fading" or "washing out" the darker dogs color. This point has been refuted innumerable times by leading breeders and geneticists. However in 1968, following Germanys lead, the White German Shepherd was disqualified from the conformation show ring in America. In 1980 the Canadian Kennel Club was petitioned by the German Shepherd dog Club of Canada to disqualify the white dogs from the show conformation show ring. However, in response to hundreds of letters, the CKC refused to disqualify the White German Shepherd, and the white dogs are still eligible for conformation competition in that country. Other than color, the White German Shepherd does not differ substantially from the standard colored Shepherd. Color does not affect the dog's personality, temperament or trainability. However, our Shepherds do differ from standards in some ways. Because of better care and feeding the natural tendency of the breed has been to grow larger than the standard, which was set at the early origins of the breed. We allow this natural occurrence and do not purposely down size our dogs to maintain out dated standards. Many of our dogs grow to well over 28 inches at the shoulder and weights of 80 to 130 lbs. These are not over weight or disproportional dogs, but simply dogs who reflect better feeding and the best in modern care. We also are not breeding to promote the current tendency toward the exaggerated angulation or long hunched back so common in today's show ring. Instead we breed only dogs who have been certified sound in hips and health and proven stable in temperament and trainability. The snowy shepherd has a worldwide following that is pushing to have it recognized as a separate breed or as a viable color for the GSD. There are two clubs in North America that promote the white German Shepherd.
The White German Shepherd Dog Club International Inc. was formed under the name the National Club for the White GSD, according advancement of the White German Shepherd Dog, in 1964 in Sacramento, California, to protect and further the interests of the dog. In 1977, the club changed its name to the White German Shepherd Dog Club International Inc., and today nearly 20 local chapters exist.
The American White Shepherd Association, founded in 1994, works for full acceptance of the White Shepherd as a separate and distinct breed in all major kennel clubs and registries. It currently has nine regional clubs in the United States and Canada.
At press time, the AWSA had successfully petitioned the UKC to grant the White Shepherd full status as of January 1, 1999. |
As a Breeder I always believed That we could control Hip Dysplasia in our dogs by just breeding properly. The problem seems to be some breeders think they and their Vet can just look at X-Rays and judge if a dog has good hips NOT SO even the OFA has to have three Vet make that judgement call.
I know a breeder who was once my friend Lenga's German Shepherds I have bought three female pups from her for breeding not one nor two but all three dog by the time they where two years of age had Hip Dysplasia. So I went to her site to read the fine print as it were this is what I found.
"My name is Helene from Southern California. I breed the very sweet and gentle LARGE boned Shepherds. I breed the black & tan, and black & red colored Shepherds. My #1 priority is PERSONALITY. My dogs are excellent with children. I also train and socialize my puppies, before they go to their new home. I also breed for excellent longevity health, good hips and great temperament which I guarantee 100%."
This is the letter I received when I sent the OFA report on the last female with Hip Dysplasia.
"Oh my G-D! I can't believe it. I was so sure Puppup had good hips, or at
least fair hips. I'm so very sorry, Knowing you are a breeder, it was always my intention to sell you puppies with good hips, but at that young age, we never know....................Do we ? The great news is that your future puppy's Sire, Patron is OFA Excellent, and his Dam, Champion Jan Lorien's Ice Castles is also OFA Excellent, so I feel that your special puppy's hips will be good. I can't do better than that for you. I want to make sure all the puppies have good hips, if that is possible. I paid an arm and a leg to do this breeding with this Champion. By the way, Keira has one hip that is excellent and the other that is very good, so it looks good that her puppies will also be good."
Notice no mention of Keira being OFAed just how much it cost to have her bred to a champion.
Sounds good doesn't it but go to her site and read on her litter page this.
Champion Lorien's Patron and Lenga's Keira Von Ars De Kona"Champion Patron and Lenga's Keira had a successful breeding. Patron is already an American Champion, and now he is going for his Canadian Championship. Patron and Keira will make beautiful and healthy puppies together. Patron is outgoing, friendly, and has a confident personality. Patron is OFA Excellent, and Keira was evaluated by my vet as Excellent, too. Keira is lovable, affectionate and a very confident female. These will be Show Quality puppies. They will be fully guaranteed, including personality. Each puppy will be trained and socialized, and come to you well behaved and well mannered. Your satisfaction is guaranteed. Keira is very loyal and protective of her family, and Patron is very socialized with people and other dogs, being he has been to so many dog shows. Their puppies are due: July 17th. and will be ready to go: September 4, 2008.
Stop the presses what part of that is OFAed???
My response to her email was.
" Helene,
I have been going over our six year relationship with dogs I have spent over five thousand dollars ($5000.00) in direct cost buying dogs from you. Another Twelve Hundred ($1200.00) getting dogs OFAed not to mention feed and vet cost which comes to another Thirty Eight Hundred ($3800.00).
Also it has been six years and after Ten Thousand Dollars I still have not
one puppy from any of the dogs I bought from you so thanks but no-thanks I do not want one of your pups. As far as I can figure this is all because you will not OFA your dogs your vet is not the OFA so all the pups you have put out in the last six years have all had bad hips but since no one bothered to OFA their dogs they don't know about it yet."
But anyone with a Lenga's German Shepherd should have it OFAed and if it has bad hips demand a refund.
The problem as stated by the OFA is low number of dogs radiographed and evaluated by the OFA not the breeder and his or her vet.
It can be very difficult to get hip information on siblings and previous offspring due to the overall low number of dogs radiographed in a given litter (most dogs in a litter end up in pet homes). This is the slowest method of reducing the incidence of an undesirable trait or increasing the incidence of a desirable trait. The use of preliminary radiographs as early as 4 months of age can be used by breeders to add valuable information on the hip status of dogs they choose to use in a breeding program.
Hip dysplasia appears to be perpetuated by breeder imposed breeding practices, but when breeders and their breed clubs recognize HD as a problem and establish reduction of HD as a priority, improvement of the hip status can be accomplished without jeopardizing other desirable traits. Prospective buyers should check pedigrees and/or verify health issues with the breeder. If suitable documentation is not available, assume the worst until proven otherwise.
Do not ignore the dog with a fair hip evaluation. The dog is still within normal limits. For example; a dog with fair hips but with a strong hip background and over 75% of its brothers and sisters being normal is a good breeding prospect. A dog with excellent hips, but with a weak family background and less than 75% of its brothers and sisters being normal is a poor breeding prospect.
OFA's Recommended Breeding Principals
* Breed normals to normals
* Breed normals with normal ancestry
* Breed normals from litters (brothers/sisters) with a low incidence of HD
* Select a sire that produces a low incidence of HD
* Replace dogs with dogs that are better than the breed average
I have had customers wait as long as two years for one of my pups because I pulled a dog out of my breeding program for having bad hips when I had them OFAed if I can do it so can other breeders.
Bottom Line too many breeders are in this for the money and the quality of the German Shepherds goes out the window.
www.ASuperiorGSD.com
Lane's House Of Shepherds
Old Fashion Large German Shepherds
Intelligent, Noble, Dignified, Sensitive,
Loyal. Sound in mind and body.
LanesShepherds@Gmail.com
http://userla64.bravejournal.com/
Are you thinking of taking on a German Shepherd Dog? A new love in your life?? Ideally purchased at 8 weeks from a breeder who not only had him in peak condition physically but believed in environmental enrichment for puppy, your little one will spend the next few weeks learning the rules of your home. Give him time to settle. He will soon try to teach YOU the rules, HIS rules! From getting up at daybreak to feed an ever hungry pup to playing ball with the intrepid little hunter, he'll keep you on your toes. From hiding all the best shoes behind the couch to decorating the kitchen with Kitty Litter, he fits in well, he's mum's little helper! So let him help! GIVE him environmental enrichment! Toys to play with, a quiet place of his own where he can retire for a nap. Give him a little bit of play training every day and once he's had his shots, introduce him to the world!
Protect him from harm while he is a youngster and as an adult, he will guard you with his life. If you want a steady and loyal guard / companion dog for your home, you need look no further. Whether black and gold or sable, the two most popular colours, he is a dog of natural shape. Unless he is a long coated specimen, he requires little grooming time. Gleaming with health and eye catching with his look of nobility and strength, your German Shepherd Dog catches the imagination even as he lazily stretches out in front of the fire, half closes his eyes and dreams his hunters' dreams of dark woods and long eared bunnies. Or is he dreaming of a shepherd's idyll, 300 woolly lambs frolicking in the sun, and one carelessly leaving the narrow strip of grass they should be grazing to pluck a mouthful of silver beet from the field near the brook? He'll sort him out! He's running now, leaping in his dreams! Dream on my pup, guardian of the flock, the die is cast, I own you now, a GSD, why not?
Do you have the parents on site? May I see them? This is a bit of a trick question. You should always be able to see the mother -- unless she died giving birth -- but reputable breeders often don't have the father on hand. That's because the best match for any particular dog may be owned by another breeder, and the female was sent away for breeding.
As for the mother, she may be a little anxious with strangers around her puppies, but on her own you want to see a well-socialized, calm and well-mannered dog. So, too, should be the rest of the breeder's dogs. If you don't like the temperaments of a breeder's grown dogs, what makes you think you'll get a good temperament in one of the puppies? --
What are the good and bad points of the parents? You may be looking for a pet-quality purebred, but you still want to buy from someone who knows what top-quality examples of the breed are -- and uses such animals in a breeding program. You want to see some titles in the pedigree. It doesn't matter if you go home and throw that fine pedigree in a drawer. --
Where were these puppies raised? How have you socialized them? "In the house" is the best answer to the first question. You want a puppy who knows what the dishwasher sounds like, whom you don't have to peel off the ceiling when a pan drops, who has set a paw on linoleum, carpet and tile. Environmental socialization is important, but so, too, is the intentional kind. The best breeders make sure puppies have been handled by adults of both genders and by children. --
What guarantees do you provide? You want to see a contract explaining the breeder's responsibilities should the puppy develop a congenital ailment. In most cases, such contracts state either replacement with a new puppy or refunding of your purchase price.
The contract also states your responsibilities, such as neutering your pet. You may also be required to return the dog to the breeder if you can no longer keep him. Such language is the sign of a concerned and responsible breeder.
Read and discuss the paperwork with the breeder. The best breeders offer contracts that protect not only the buyer and seller, but also the most vulnerable part of the transaction: the puppy. --
www.ASuperiorGSD.com
Lane's House Of Shepherds
Old Fashion Large German Shepherds
Intelligent, Noble, Dignified, Sensitive,
Loyal. Sound in mind and body. LanesShepherds@Gmail.com http://userla64.bravejournal.com/
Along with your dog learning his responsibilities and duties, your pup is also open to learning whatever tricks and games you desire to teach him. However, before you decide to teach him a new game, ask yourself whether or not you think his behavior is cute now will be cute in an adult dog.
Dogs will “Fetch,” “Bring,” and “Give.” Particularly if you have a sporting dog that you might want to take on a hunting trip with someday, teach the “Give” or “Drop it” command at the same time you teach him “Fetch.” Or else, you will spend your time chasing down your dog to get the birds you thought you were going to eat for supper during your hunting trip!
After teaching him the basics, you can also teach him anything that works well to entertain you both, bond you, and make your lives together happier together. The more you are your dog’s teacher, the more firmly your dog will look to you as the leader of the pack. As your dog knows more, he will invite more advanced lessons, whether its lessons about what games you like to play or what tasks you want him to do.
Just like with kids, a puppy thrives on going beyond the basics. While you bond firmly to steadiness in things like meal times and obeying certain commands, you and your growing pup can also deal with changeable amounts of unsteadiness. It is in these areas of novelty that you permit your dog’s own unique personality to flourish.
Several owners find great fulfillment in obedience training their dogs. A basic obedience course is essential for anyone who is going to raise an obedient puppy, but one can above and beyond the basics. It all depends on what you desire to accomplish. Watching a well-trained obedience dog work is a delight, and in dog shows, it is the obedience ring where you will notice the real honesty of dog and owner performing as a team player
You can go above and beyond obedience into tracking, as well. You do not to have a bloodhound to partake in this sport. A puppy who has been taught the game of “Go find” can grow up to “Go find” in a very stern way. Additionally, dog-sledding has become an increasingly popular sport for dogs. Have you ever watched well-trained herding dogs work? If so, you know what accuracy they exhibit, and you can imagine the time and love it took to train them.
The more an owner learns about his/her dog and his breed, the more one will discover that their horizons are limited only by how much time and effort one wants to invest in having fun with canine companionship.
Article by Meghan McCabe of Oh My Dog Supplies
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